2006 Chevrolet Impala SS

Powerful impulses from a car with a split personality.

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Even at slower speeds, and despite the soft tuning, the front-strut suspension crashes over pavement imperfections as if someone had overlooked the advantages of bushings. It's admittedly a minor annoyance but one that makes the car feel unrefined and crude and demonstrates the limitations of the old platform. The SS's fraternal twin, the Grand Prix GXP, makes the same noises, but the competition doesn't.

There are other limitations to the W-body platform that simply can't be ignored or tuned out without major reworking. Those liver spots include the huge 40-foot turning circle that makes parking a chore -- back up and try again. Also missing from the menu are a telescoping steering wheel, stability control, communicative steering, and equal-length driveshafts. The unequal-length shafts the Impala is saddled with would likely lead to into-the-ditch torque steer if the engineers hadn't come up with ingenious ways of working with what they've been handed.

Fortunately, the car is capable of making some very satisfying sounds. Fire up the SS with the standard remote starter, and you'll have the pleasure of walking up to an unmistakable V-8 beat emanating from the dual exhaust and entering a warm car (or a cool one). Inside, the rumble is kept to a dull roar by some well-placed insulation and a fire wall made of Quiet Steel that reduces unwanted noise. On the highway, road and tire noise barely make it into the cabin; most of the 70 dBA of noise at 70 mph is likely attributable to the wind.

Opt for the SS trim level, and you get subtle SS badges, 18-inch five-spoke wheels that are dead ringers for the wheels on a Mercedes S600, unique gauges, and metallic trim instead of imitation wood. The exterior differences between a lesser Impala and the SS are so subtle that no one will suspect its bawdy character. Refreshed for 2006, the Impala now looks like a cohesive design that benefits from tight and consistent panel fits and a clean look.

Keep the dynamic challenges to a minimum, and one begins to notice the well-laid-out and uncluttered interior. Although the plastics aren't of the soft variety, the interior appears bolted together nicely, and all the controls are easy to use.

Our test car came equipped with only a few options -- the $1125 black-leather interior with heated, power front seats; and a Bose stereo system with an in-dash six-CD changer and XM-satellite-radio capability. We appreciated the auxiliary port on the radio that allows one to plug in an MP3 player. It's a standard feature on the Impala, one that GM is putting into all its vehicles. There's plenty of headroom and legroom in the back seat, and the cushion offers more thigh support than in the previous Impala.

Since we love the idea of a family car coming with a major dose of power and performance, we had great expectations for the Impala SS. We also understand that many buyers want something a bit more rambunctious, more invigorating than a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry or Ford Five Hundred. But as noted, the V-8 transplant wasn't as successful in the Impala as it was in the Grand Prix. Try to exploit the SS's extra oomph, and there is little reward. It's as if GM product planners had taken a look at the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300C full-size offerings and said, "Well, we can put a V-8 in our family cars, too." They sure did, but if the Impala is far happier when equipped with a 242-hp, 3.9-liter V-6, what's the point?